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Go Back   Spiritual Forums > Spirituality & Beliefs > Meditation

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  #1  
Old 23-01-2018, 12:44 AM
Gem Gem is offline
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Experience and meditation

Discussion question: Is meditation an experience?
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  #2  
Old 23-01-2018, 03:55 AM
iamthat iamthat is offline
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Are we considering meditation in terms of form or formlessness?

On the levels of form (ie mentally, emotionally, physically), meditation is an experience, with a beginning and an end.

On the levels of formlessness, Being simply is. There is no beginning or end.

Consciousness is the key. Does consciousness go out into form and identify with movement? Or does consciousness go inwards to formlessness and rest in the stillness of Being?

So meditation is both an experience and not an experience. It depends where we are coming from.

Peace.
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  #3  
Old 23-01-2018, 04:07 AM
Eelco
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
On the levels of formlessness, Being simply is. There is no beginning or end.

It is said that the formless realms can be somewhat distinguished from each other.
The formless realm of perception of the infinity of space,
The formless realm of perception of the infinity of consciousness.
The formless realm of perception of nothingness
and the formless realm of neither perception nor non-perception.

There are just the higher Jhana's and they do appear to rise from one to the next.
There also seem to be 5 distinct pure land states attainable through concentration meditation.

With Love
Eelco
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  #4  
Old 23-01-2018, 05:04 AM
blossomingtree blossomingtree is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
So meditation is both an experience and not an experience. It depends where we are coming from.

Peace.

Spot on. Thanks, iamthat.

BT
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  #5  
Old 23-01-2018, 05:05 AM
blossomingtree blossomingtree is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catsquotl
It is said that the formless realms can be somewhat distinguished from each other.
The formless realm of perception of the infinity of space,
The formless realm of perception of the infinity of consciousness.
The formless realm of perception of nothingness
and the formless realm of neither perception nor non-perception.

There are just the higher Jhana's and they do appear to rise from one to the next.
There also seem to be 5 distinct pure land states attainable through concentration meditation.

With Love
Eelco

Thanks Eelco: I will look this up.

My "style" when I first learnt Buddhism was to minimize knowledge of the concepts so I could learn (without predisposed concepts) what each experience was. Now though I would be interested and will look this up. Thanks for the pointer -

BT
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  #6  
Old 23-01-2018, 07:19 PM
iamthat iamthat is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by catsquotl
It is said that the formless realms can be somewhat distinguished from each other.
The formless realm of perception of the infinity of space,
The formless realm of perception of the infinity of consciousness.
The formless realm of perception of nothingness
and the formless realm of neither perception nor non-perception.

There are just the higher Jhana's and they do appear to rise from one to the next.
There also seem to be 5 distinct pure land states attainable through concentration meditation.

With Love
Eelco

Thanks for these descriptions of the various levels of formlessness, Eelco. As BT says, further pondering on the meaning is required.

The mind may struggle to understand how there can be differentiations within formlessness, but the teachings of Blavatsky/Bailey agree that there are such differentiations. These different levels are called the Buddhic, the Atmic, the Monadic and (at the top) the plane of Adi or the Divine. I don't know if there is a direct correspondence between these planes and the higher Jhanas Eelco mentions.

Peace.
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  #7  
Old 23-01-2018, 10:45 PM
sentient sentient is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
Are we considering meditation in terms of form or formlessness?

On the levels of form (ie mentally, emotionally, physically), meditation is an experience, with a beginning and an end.

On the levels of formlessness, Being simply is. There is no beginning or end.

Consciousness is the key. Does consciousness go out into form and identify with movement? Or does consciousness go inwards to formlessness and rest in the stillness of Being?

So meditation is both an experience and not an experience. It depends where we are coming from.

Peace.
As per usual your post has a centering, planets lining up – mind coming to rest and finding peace - effect on my mind.

Thanks for these iamthat.

*
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  #8  
Old 23-01-2018, 11:02 PM
Gem Gem is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iamthat
Are we considering meditation in terms of form or formlessness?

On the levels of form (ie mentally, emotionally, physically), meditation is an experience, with a beginning and an end.

On the levels of formlessness, Being simply is. There is no beginning or end.

Consciousness is the key. Does consciousness go out into form and identify with movement? Or does consciousness go inwards to formlessness and rest in the stillness of Being?

So meditation is both an experience and not an experience. It depends where we are coming from.

Peace.

Of course there is experience during meditation, but can meditation really be referring to a kind of experience and/or a state of mind? I don't see how it could be, because the experience is changing, and mind states to come and go. It seems to me that is has no dependent qualities at all, just as 'being' implies 'existent' in the most overall sense.
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Old 23-01-2018, 11:57 PM
naturesflow naturesflow is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gem
Of course there is experience during meditation, but can meditation really be referring to a kind of experience and/or a state of mind? I don't see how it could be, because the experience is changing, and mind states to come and go. It seems to me that is has no dependent qualities at all, just as 'being' implies 'existent' in the most overall sense.

Where you say, " no dependent qualities at all" can you expand on this please Gem?
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Old 24-01-2018, 12:43 AM
muffin muffin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Gem
Discussion question: Is meditation an experience?

Good afternoon Gem


One you live thru and know for what it is, the other is door way
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